The Decay Dance
by Reine Shadow
Summary: Jareth's kingdom is falling apart. The Labyrinth no longer intimidates, and the Goblin King, years after his encounter with Sarah, mopes for his lost chance. Sarah is the only one who can restore the Labyrinth, but thanks to a powerful enemy, she may not get the chance. Rated T for good measure.
1. Prologue

** This is my Jareth POV moment. It shows Jareth's initial plan for Sarah, why he brought her into the Labyrinth all those years ago and a little of his thoughts along the film. I have considered sending her back there. If, mayhaps, I get some good reviews, I might continue, but until then, this is all I have.**

**~XxXxX~**

He had seen her, the entity of that prophecy made so many years ago. The prophecy foretold that Jareth would be defeated in his own Labyrinth. The fool that made that prediction suffered eternal stench, oh yes he did. Jareth made absolute sure of it. The moment she lay her hands on the Book, he sensed something was in motion. He investigated immediately.

He found her researsing lines from the story that displayed an eerie closeness to foreshadowing. He should have killed her on the spot. She was so young, however, Jareth could scarsely believe this fragile human would be the one to defeat him. She sent his heart soaring without the use of wings. Pale skin and thick ebony locks framed a heart shaped face of pure innocence. In that innocence a pair of green eyes scanned the world around her. He was immediately smitten, which was odd to him, an immortal king so well above the average age of any men she had heretofore met. But he saw timeless life behind those devilish green eyes. He could tell right away she was going to be fun. In his human-worldly form he followed her, the barn owl almost as natural as the skin he took in the Goblin City. He could only take human form in their homeworld after a wish was made. And even then, every extended moment agonized him, which would always explain his bitter temper with Sarah at their first true meeting. Once her brother had been snatched, her confident demeanor had become whiny and childlike, displaying her true age.

"You're Him, aren't you? You're the Goblin King! I'll have my brother back, please, if it's all the same."

"What's said is said." He said matter of factly. She stood before him, hands limp at her sides.

He had wanted to wisk her away right then, but refrained. She needed to mature and learn before he would chance bringing her among goblins.

So he magicked them to the entrance of the Labyrinth that guards his domain.

"You have thirteen hours in which to solve the labyrinth, before your baby brother becomes one of us..forever." He mandated her. He didn't particularly want another Goblin subject, he would most likely keep the boy on as his companion.

Her face fell and he relished it.

Later, he mused about why he had given the girl that extra hour to find Toby, to be renamed Jareth. She was already destined to defeat him, why had he furthered her progress? He knew the answer: He had become taken with her. Granted, the idea repulsed him, as she was so young, but he could see her aging into a beautiful (and thanks to his plot within the Labyrinth) and strong woman.

As her time in the Labyrinth grew shorter, he felt the rise of panic in his chest. She would solve the labyrinth and be gone, possibly forever. So he confronted her and sent the Cleaners after her. She proceeded to make a friend in the Oubliette.

Still her loyal friends continued to save her. He had to enlist Higgle, Giggle, or whatever his bloody name was, to keep Sarah for a little while longer. The peach he created from a crystal became his only hope. She would take a bite, and like Snow White and her poisoned apple, fall into a deep sleep, wherein she would be more accepting of him. That didn't work either. She broke the subtle spell that had been placed over her subconscious. That had made him spout obscenities.

She made it to his castle beyond the Goblin City, despite the many encumbrances he had hurled in front of her. Still, he knew she would win, he had always known.

He had decided then and there to comfort her with his profession of love.

_How you turned my world, you precious thing...Everything I've done, I've done for you...Your eyes can be so cruel..just as I can be so cruel. _She had tossed the confession back into his face.

"Give me the child." She demanded boldly.

"Sarah, beware. I have been generous up until now. But I can be cruel." He warned.

"Generous? What have you done that's generous?"

"Everything! Everything that you wanted I have done. You asked that the child be taken, I took him. You cowered before me, I _was_ frightening. I have reordered time. I have turned the world upside down and I have done it all for _you_! I am exhausted from living up to your expectations of me." He spoke the truth without interruption, feeling the burden of his innermost thoughts leave him as he uttered every word.

Even his offer to stay did not deter her enough to give him more moments with her.

"I ask for so little. Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your _slave_." He promised. He would have promised her the world if it would have gotten her to linger for only a handful of minutes.

Now, he sat here, eight years later, his kingdom in ruins and his Labyrinth in desperate need of redesigning. But the only thing on his mind was not his woes, but the girl. The girl that defeated him: Sarah.

**~XxXxX~**

** I know it was a rehashing of the movie, but I wanted to start with a clean slate and decide if I wanted to move on from there. Please R&R. also this is my first Labyrinth fanfic. hopefully it's not my last.**


	2. What's Said Is Said

**Welcome back. The opportunity to continue was too hard to resist. So, here goes. R&R please. **

**~XxXxX~**

Eight godforsaken years.

Eight years and his enemies decided to overthrow the Goblin King. Then his subjects rebelled against his rule. And thoughts of her plagued his mind throughout. In part, he loathed her for defeating him, then rejecting him, but he also he also felt more deeply for her than he had anyone in this millenia. Which only infuriated him even further. He sat alone on a makeshift throne, balancing a crystal on his hand, rolling it back and forth. He was in exile now. Fighting invaders did not appeal to Jareth any longer.

If they wanted his kingdom they could have it.

For now.

He now resided in the Oubliettes. Only the Goblin King could safely navigate all the tunnels that weave throughout them. Since s_he_ beat him at his own game, the Oubliettes were the _only _place he could safely go.

His eternal longing for Sarah had only increased since his exile, but his hostility toward her had also increased tenfold. She had taken what was rightfully his: respect and fear. But he knew there was another plot. One much more sinister than Jareth's own plans for Sarah. And Jareth was the prime target.

**~XxXxX~**

Sarah Happin was alone in the house again and that always made her very paranoid. Every creak the little rent house made was cause for panic. The darkness creeping into the house from outside only made matters worse. Eventually, she would break down and call her best friend, Jarrod, and make him sit with her. At least until her husband of two years, Will, got home. Usually it takes about a half an hour for the fear to blossom in her. Today she had made it to almost two hours. Before she lost it completely, she dialed Jarrod.

He picked up on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Jarrod, it's Sarah."

"Oh, hey, Sarah. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing at all. Do you feel like coming over for a bit?"

He chuckled. "The house is creaking again, isn't it?"

_How you turned my world, you precious thing._

She shook off the echo in her mind and laughed with him. "Well, yes. Yes, it is."

"I'll be over in a few minutes." He promised. She could practically hear the smile on his face. She hung up first and waited in the front doorway for Jarrod to arrive.

It took ten minutes, but he pulled up in his old Cadillac. He didn't have to knock, never had, just opened the screen door and stepped inside.

"Thank you for coming." She whispered, hating the vulnerablility of the situation. She preferred not to show any weakness.

"It's not a problem at all, Sarah. I've always been there for you."

_Everything I've done, I've done for you._

A chill rolled down her spine, but she shrugged and it went away. "I know. Thank you, Jarrod." His name had always been a subtle reference to someone she must have known so long ago. She had vague memories, but the details were sketchy.

They sat together on the couch, watching movies.

Once, Jarrod and Sarah had considered becoming a couple, but any plans they made never came to fruition. Taking this as a sign, they resigned to just being friends. Not days after they had come to this decision, Sarah had met Will and things took off quickly. They were married within a month. Jarrod had been asked to be Best Man and accepted graciously. The other members of the wedding party, with the exception of Toby, were unimportant.

Now, two years later, aside from the creaking of the house, things were wonderful. Sarah was happy and doing what she loved, writing graphic novels. But every now and then, when the house creaked or Will went into one of his moods, she felt empty and hollow, as if whatever gave her life had been drained from her. It was an awful feeling.

When Will finally came in from work, he thanked Jarrod for coming.

"No problem, Will. Will I see you at the house for the game on Monday?"

"Wouldn't miss it." Will grinned.

Jarrod pulled out of the driveway and headed home.

"Evening, dear." Will said as he kissed Sarah's cheek.

Although their first month together was the best of her life, after their wedding, he had been very distant. As though he was too afraid to get close to her.

_Your eyes can be so cruel. Just as I can be so cruel._

Once more, that soft voice in her mind echoed like a wind tunnel.

For the last eight years, Sarah had heard the voice off and on, having an episode once every few months. Now, they had increased exponentially. Every few minutes, the voice would whisper to her. She remembered being lost when she was sixteen, but where and why were lost to her, just out of reach...

"Sarah? Did you hear me?" Her husband's voice pulled her back to reality.

"Hmm? No, dear, I didn't. I'm sorry."

"Lost in your own world again, I see." He said, disapprovingly. "I asked you if you packed a lunch for me tomorrow?"

She nodded. "I did. How much longer are you going to have to stay late at the office, Will?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure. This is a pretty big opportunity. It may even lead to a promotion. Don't worry, Sarah. We'll work on expanding our family very soon." He muttered something inaudible.

"What?" Sarah asked.

"Nothing, I was just looking for the owl." He huffed. Sarah had complained of an owl in the tree beside the window for the last few months. Every day, the barn owl flew in and perched on the tree for the morning. At noon, it would disappear.

"I called the exterminator. He said there isn't anything he can do about it."  
He grunted. "That doesn't surpise me. Lazy bums, the whole lot of them."

She couldn't help but laugh. "No, he says the owl is protected by some Animal Protection Act or something."

Will said nothing, just placed his briefcase on the table by the door, kicked off his shoes and went down into the basement. He spent quite a bit of his time down there. Sarah had never been down there personally. It's forbidden. _What an odd word to use, _she thought.

**~XxXxX~**

Will Happin, Sarah's husband, was the sorcerer who had predicted Jareth's downfall via Sarah. He had predicted it down to the date. What better way to take revenge for being sent to the human world than to take Jareth's kingdom for himself? Will had been informed Jareth had gone into exhile after the current King, a man by the name of Leer, had banished him. King Leer was not to be taken lightly. He was more cruel than Jareth and nearly as clever. And being the great sorcerer he was, Will knew Jareth needed Sarah, in more ways than one.

He went down to their basement nightly, searching for a spell to get himself down into the Labyrinth. The problem was, Jareth's magic had taken Sarah's memories of her adventure. Sarah had no idea who Jareth was, or that she had beaten the Labyrinth once before. Since Will didn't know how Jareth had gotten her to the Goblin City in the first place, he continued to pour through leatherbound book beyond leatherbound book in attempt to find the answer. The years had proved useless. Jareth's magic was inherited, it was part of him. Will's magic was learned, with the exception of his prophetic eyes.

Sarah, being the naive human that she was, had no idea their marriage was a sham. It was a way to keep tabs on her, nothing more. Will was more repulsed by her than anything else. Using a mere human as Jareth's demise would be sweet. Then destroying her as Jareth watched would be the perfect ending.

**~XxXxX~**

That night proved even less profitable than the last. He woke down in the lab just in time to get up for his menial job in the human world. He kissed Sarah goodbye and went on his way.

Once at his office, he was so frustrated he spilled coffee on his receptionist, broke the minifridge, and gave his assistant a black eye. They left him alone to cool off after deeming him dangerous. He sat in his chair, thinking hard about what he could have missed.

"I wish I was in King Leer's service right now. I could bring Jareth down easily from there."

Instantly, King Leer stood before him. "Where is _the_ Sarah?" He asked.

Startled, it took a moment for Leer to gather himself. "She's at home." He replied.

The King relaxed. "So you wish to be in my service, do you?"

Will nodded.

"Good, I need a sorcerer. Granting wishes all day like some kind of fey gets very irritating."

**~XxXxX~**

Sarah cleaned the house from top to bottom. It was something she did every day out of boredom. Once finished she went into her study and worked on her newest graphic novel: A story about a princess who becomes lost in another world. She was still hunched over her desk when she heard the crash. Sarah dashed to the top of the stairs to see two men opening her kitchen door from the outside. Both wore ski masks and carried guns. Panicked, she ran back into the study and closed the door quietly. She began to pace, unsure of what action to take. There was no phone in the study and her cell phone was downstairs on the coffeetable.

"I wish I was somewhere safe." She said aloud, without thinking.

All at once, a man appeared in the corner of the room beside the window.

"I have waited nearly eight years for you to make a wish, Sarah." The man whispered. There was anger that danced in his exotic eyes. He had long blonde hair and wore what looked to be a pirate's costume, all metallic blue, white and black. He seemed vaguely familiar to her, but not enough to spark a memory.

"Who are you?" she asked, involuntarily taking a step back.

"Do you not recognize me?"

She went to shake her head, but stopped. "You're the Goblin King. You kidnapped Toby when he was a baby. You're the reason he has night terrors." The memories flooded back to her, like a tidal wave revealing a sunken ship.

He put a hand to his heart. "You've cut me to the quick, Lovely." He sighed. "Ah, well. What's said is said." The man waved a hand.

Sarah looked around to find her study was gone. She was in a cave, surrounded by darkness. The only light was from two torches that hung on the wall. There was a throne in the center of the room. The Goblin King was seated there.

"Why am I here?" She commanded to know.

He threw back his head and laughed loudly. "You wished to be somewhere safe. I obliged."

"I want to go home." She said firmly.

"I cannot do that, precious one. You made a wish and I had to grant it."

She looked around. "This isn't your palace. Aren't you the King?"

He pursed his lips. "No, unfortunately, I am not."

"Then why did _you _grant my wish and not the real Goblin King?"

Jareth struggled to maintain his temper. "I am the _true _Goblin King. Leer took my kingdom on a whim and does not care for the responsibility."

"You still did not answer my question."

"I magicked you. No one in my world, save me, can detect you or grant your wish." He confessed, angry that she could get the truth from him.

"Well, you did rescue me. So what am I to do in return?"

He smirked. "Solve the Labyrinth again, and bring me my crown."

"I will not." She said.

His temper flared again. "As you wish. But I warn you, Leer is a formidable foe and will not stop until he possesses your mortal world as well as mine."

She groaned. "Fine. I will solve your Labyrinth, but you have to accompany me."

He laughed once more. "I will do nothing of the sort."

It was Sarah's turn to smirk devishly. "If you want your kingdom back, it would be best to help."

The sparkle in her eyes sent Jareth soaring, she was ready for adventure. "Very well. I will accompany you." He stood and stretched. "But you must be careful. Leer is not as generous as I."

She scoffed. "Generous. Ha."

Jareth whirled on her. "He is a cruel and evil man. His only want is to destroy everything he touches. I am happy with a challenge every now and again. He is capable of the most heinous atrocities you could ever imagine. If he were to get his claws on you, there would be nothing left but a lock of hair and a fingernail clipping. Please, do not mock me, precious one. I only do what is best for you."


	3. Into the Labyrinth

**Hello again, my friends! I hope I have not dashed any dreams you may have about Labyrinth. I am merely expressing an idea. R&R please.**

**~XxXxX~**

Sarah at once felt guilty for angering Jareth. She brushed it off. "Where to, your Majesty?" She asked.

At once, they were standing at the entrance to the Labyrinth. They stepped inside and began to walk.

"Why can't you zap us to your palace?"

He laughed. "What makes you believe Leer would not seize us and immediately put us to death?"  
"Can't he feel you moving around in the Labyrinth?"  
"He does not have the connection to the Labyrinth that you and I share."

"Have you ever been in it?" she wondered.

Once again, her insolence irritated Jareth. Memories of his father forcing him to solve the Labyrinth or give up the throne came to mind. "Of course I have. It is _my _Labyrinth, is it not?"

She raised and dropped her shoulders. "Yes, it is. So we have to get to your palace, take his crown without being seen, then what?"

"Once the crown has been returned to me, the Labyrinth should repair itself, and the palace should be returned to normal."

She sighed. "Fine, let's go then." Before she even took a step, she had a sudden realization. "Your Majesty, where are my friends?"

Frustrated, Jareth magicked a crystal into his hand and showed her. Her friends were locked up in the dungeons of the palace.

"Why did he lock them up, your Majesty?"

"Leer is aware of you. The whole blasted kingdom knows you defeated me. Why would he not make the connection that restoring me the crown would be best done by the one who defeated me? He needed leverage."

"Your Majesty, I did not mean to cause an uproar when I beat your Labyrinth."

He gave an unkingly snort. "I believe, without a title, my name is just Jareth now."

"I promise you, Jareth. I will do whatever it takes to restore your kingdom to you."

She used his name. Jareth's heart leaped in his chest as her tender lips uttered his name. It took a moment to recover. "While I appreciate your offer, just do as I ask and all will be well." He said coldly.

_Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your _slave.

Those words rang in her head again. Sarah was beginning to wonder what the Goblin King had meant all those years ago when he had cornered her.

The worm Sarah had met eight years earlier was still on the same brick, waiting for passersby.

"'Allo." It said, greeting them.

"'Ello." She returned.

Jareth just grunted.

"Which way do we go?" Sarah asked Jareth.

"I have not been to the Labyrinth in centuries and as you well know, it changes."

"So you don't know?" she countered him.

He was starting to enjoy their bantering. "No, precious one, I do not."

The worm had been quiet the entire time, observing. Now it spoke. "Where are you trying to go?"

"To the castle beyond the Goblin City." Sarah told the little worm.

"Oh, go that way!" The worm gestured to the left.

Sarah took the passage to the left. Jareth followed close behind.

They continued walking. It was silent for a ways, until Jareth began to hum a gentle tune.

It seemed familiar to Sarah. She listened intently.

_But I'll be there for you, as the world falls down. _

She remembered. Her music box had played that song as a child.

She was about to speak up when she saw a great animal ahead of them on the path among the scattered remains of broken walls.

The animal was like nothing Sarah had ever seen. It was so large it blocked the pathway. It had the body of a lion, all the way up to its mane, wings the size of a large truck were folded neatly on its back. A lovely woman's face peaked through the shaggy mane of the lion. Full red lips, sky blue eyes and a button nose, the face gazed at them warily. Sarah remembered reading about the sphinx in her mythology class.

"Hello, your Majesty." The sphinx nodded to Jareth. Her thick mane shook regally. "Sarah, my how you have grown." She smiled.

"We need to pass." Sarah told the creature.

"Answer my riddle and you may." She responded.

Sarah gestured for her to continue.

The sphinx looked back and forth from Sarah to Jareth then back again. "I have the perfect riddle for the two of you.

_I am bought and sold_

_ Good for young and old _

_ I can be wet or I can be dry_

_ To get me man will often lie_

_ I cannot be done alone_

_ Or even on the phone_

_ I can be taken or given_

_ but only among the living_

_ What am I_?" She finished and curled her tail around her back legs. "Whenever you are ready. You may only answer once." She closed her eyes.

"I have the answer." Jareth said, confidently.

"Don't you think you should collaberate with me before you answer?"

Jareth stepped toward the sphinx. "The answer, madam, is a kiss."

The creature leapt up and clapped her giant paws together. "Correct! You are one step closer to your palace, your Majesty!" She stepped aside and Jareth took Sarah's hand, leading her forward.

Sarah's hand tingled pleasantly where he touched her. "How did you know the answer to that riddle?" Sarah asked him.

A mischevious smile played on the Goblin King's lips. "When you have been waiting as long as I for a certain action, you recognize it in all its many forms."

She was confused, but didn't push it.

They were halfway out of the Labyrinth when they were stopped again. This time, their path was blocked by a house. Not a large house, granted, but a house nonetheless.

She stepped inside, Jareth right behind her. It was a large room, nothing more. There was a back door, but between the door and the travelers was a man with a gun. He wore a ski mask. He stood there silent, as though a mouse cornered by a cat. A very dangerous mouse cornened by a cat.

"Did you do this?" Sarah demanded.

Jareth simply raised an eyebrow. "Does the idea of a home invasion frighten you, Sarah?"

"Since a troop of goblins came into my house and kidnapped my brother, yes, the idea frightens me. It frightens me more than you ever will, Jareth!" She snarled.

Although her boldness was very attractive, the vulnerability he saw in her eyes angered him. She had no right to belittle him in such a way. He wanted nothing more, at least at that moment, than to protect her. A crystal appeared in his hand and he rolled it across the floor. It stopped beneath the ski mask clad man and exploded. It did not stop the man from pulling the trigger. The gun went off and the bullet hit Sarah in the abdomen. She collapsed into a heap on the floor. Jareth's heart skipped a beat. The man was down now, there was no need for Jareth to hesitate. He scooped her up in his arms. Although he himself was immortal, Sarah was not and could easily perish.

"Sarah. Please, precious one, awaken." He practically begged. His confident conduct had vanished.

Before she could wake Jareth felt heat on his back. He turned and saw the man with the ski mask had not been a man at all. He had transformed. A dragon, all green scales and red eyes, stood before him. The house had disappeared and the dragon was growing bigger. It didn't stop until it was the same size the house had been. Another crystal magicked its way into his hand and instead of throwing an explosive at a creature that adores fire, Jareth changed it. In his mind's eye he saw a sword, long and sharp. As he saw it, the crystal took the sword's shape in its master's hand. The dragon roared and opened its mouth. Jareth quickly moved away from Sarah in attempt to keep her out of harm's way. He dropped another crystal, asking the crystal to heal her. The dragon was circling him, like a toy it just couldn't wait to play with. He threw the sword at the dragon and it imbedded itself in its fleshy belly. The dragon squealed pathetically and died. Its corpse shriveled and pruned into a pile of green mush.

Jareth went to Sarah's side where the crystal had finished its work. Sarah's eyes fluttered open. "What happened?"

"A home invading dragon." He said, matter of factly.

Although he did not know it, Sarah had heard Jareth's concern for her well being. She stood and brushed the dirt from her jeans.

"Alright, let's go." She moved forward, ignoring Jareth's raised eyebrow.

Jareth led the way this time, keeping a few paces ahead of the woman. As they walked deeper into the Labyrinth, he contemplated asking Sarah once again to stay with him. He immediately tossed the idea aside. She was happy up there with her husband, what was his name? Bill?

"What is your mortal's name?" he asked without turning around.

"William."

He baulked at first but remembered William is a common name in the human world.

"Last name, precious one?"

"Happin." She said.

Now he stopped walking and turned toward her.

"What is it?" she asked.

"William Happin is a sorcerer from my world. I banished him to the human world when he foretold the prophecy of my downfall."

"That doesn't mean anything." Sarah said firmly.

"He is my enemy. He will stop at nothing to get his revenge. But you wed him."

Sarah felt the heat rise in her cheeks. "How was I supposed to know?"

"If you had not-," The true Goblin King started to say, but stopped himself.

"If I had not, what?"

**~XxXxX~**

Sarah was not at home. The front door had been open and they had been robbed, but Sarah was nowhere to be found. Will was worried. What if Jareth had gotten her into the Labyrinth? The prophecy he had made days ago stated that if she found her way into the Labyrinth, Jareth was guaranteed his kingdom back. There was one more stanza but Will wasn't about to reveal that to anyone, even King Leer, who was proving to be a certified ass. He tortured the Goblins, made the wished away babies his slaves and took half the young women for his wives. He was up to sixteen.

And he wanted Sarah.

He wanted her badly. Leer said there was latent power in her. Power that no one, besides the true Goblin King, had ever been born with. He wanted her on his side.

In the throne room, King Leer sat playing with his scepter, long and golden. Sure, it didn't match the silver crown upon his head, but no matter. Will was beside him, on a small, cramped stool. His wives were in the corner, cowering in fear.

"Will, you told me she didn't remember the Goblin City or the Labyrinth."

"Yes, Jareth's magic shielded her memories."

"Could he unshield them?" Leer asked.

"Yes, he could."

Leer cursed.

"But there is no guarantee he has done so. He'll want to protect her as long as possible. He may not want to admit it, but he loves her." Will assured him.

Leer glared at him. "Yes, but because he loves her, she is more powerful than even he."

Will nodded slowly. "While that is true, that also makes her a simple target."

Leer punched will in the jaw.

"Ow."

"You idiot. If they make it here, then I promise you I will kill you."

**~XxXxX~**

"If I had not, what?" She repeated.

Frustrated with her persistence, Jareth lost his temper. "If you had not denied me when you defeated the Labyrinth once before, I would not have had the kingdom taken from me."

Sarah looked flustered. "Denied you?"

"You don't recall the offer I made before you spat those cursed words into my face?"

"I was sixteen years old, Jareth. I didn't know what half those words meant."

"I do not make the same offer twice, Sarah."

"Then tell me what the first offer was to begin with!" She shouted at him.

He looked away from her. "We must move forward." He announced instead.

Her jaw set, but she didn't speak again. They continued on.

Sarah thought back to that night on the thirteenth hour. It took alot of concentration, not all her memories of that night were entirely clear. She remembered the labyrinthian staircase. What were the words he used that night? They used to ring in her mind constantly but now they were ghostly whispers. Her head was starting to ache, but she didn't give up. The first words popped into her head.

_How you turned my world, you precious thing. _

Sarah smiled. Now what was the rest?

**~XxXxX~**

**Sorry, folks. You'll have to wait until next time for that long awaited confrontation. Once again, R&R. I would greatly appreciate it.**


	4. As the World Falls Down

** Thanks for coming back! Once again, please R&R. Other than that there isn't much to say this time.**

**~XxXxX~**

Sarah remembered the words that beat the Goblin King that night.

_You have no power over me._

And after migraine-worsening concentration, his words from that night were steadily coming back to her.

_How you turned my world, you precious thing _

_ You starve and near exhaust me_

_ Everything I've done, I've done for you._

That line echoed in her head more loudly than the others.

Then it hit her. The speech he made right before she defeated him.

"_Generous? What have you done that's generous?"_

_ "Everything! Everything that you wanted I have done. You asked that the child be taken, I took him. You cowered before me, I was frightening. I have reordered time. I have turned the world upside down and I have done it all for you! I am exhausted from living up to your expectations of me."_

I have done it all for you...

Sarah had to stop for a moment. Her heart hammered in her chest and her breathing was labored. Jareth noticed she had stopped immediately.

"What is it, Sarah?" He asked, concern in his voice.

"You..." she whispered raggedly.

"Speak to me, Sarah." He pleaded. He wrapped a hand around her arm, holding her up.

"But what no one knew is that the King of the Goblins had fallen in love with the girl, and he had given her certain powers." She whispered.

Jareth let go of her. He stared at her, wide-eyed. "What are you doing, Sarah?"

"Jareth, the offer you made me, was it to stay in the Goblin City...with you?"

He didn't speak at first. "You remember?"

She nodded.

"It was a mistake. Such an offer should not have been made to a sixteen year old child."

She said nothing. Once she caught her breath, they continued toward the castle.

**~XxXxX~**

Jareth was fuming. She was entirely too close to figuring out the truth and it terrified him. Raw anger coursed through his veins. How dare she behave so presumptuously? He decided to return her to her home once he retrieved his kingdom. His feelings for her had not been buried deep enough for the last eight years. He had allowed them to wait under the surface shallowly. That would not happen again. Her assertiveness unnerved him enough that she may force him into doing something hasty.

He walked several steps ahead of her, attempting to keep his distance. The heat from her body was like a beacon to him, he was aware of her every move.

It took them an hour to reach the gates of the Goblin City.

Jareth led her to the far east side of the castle wall and found a crack large enough for them to get through. From there, they quietly made their way to the service entrance of the castle. Although they did encounter a few goblins on the way, none of them caused any alert. Most of them missed Jareth's rule so much, they turned and ran the other way.

They found Leer in the throne room. He sat on the throne, one leg over the arm, his scepter in his hand, sword in the scabbard at his side.

Jareth glanced in the corner of the room. There, a group of women sat on the floor, fear in their eyes. William Happin sat beside the false king.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

He stood. "Hello, dear. It should not come as a surprise to you that our marriage was nothing more than a means to an end."

Jareth was seething. The man had something Jareth could only imagine and yet he tossed it aside. He stepped in front of Sarah, a crystal already becoming his sword.

Leer laughed. He sent out his wives and they filed into another room one by one. "It is beneath you to rescue a damsel in distress, Jareth."

Jareth threw his head back and laughed louder. It unnerved the false king. "I am here for my kingdom, nothing more." Jareth said.

Moving to the middle of the room, circling each other, Leer drew his sword.

"When I kill you," Leer told him, "the first thing I'm going to do is marry your princess."

On the outside, it seemed as if Jareth had no reaction, but internally, rage coursed through his veins. He moved toward Leer. As Jareth waited for Leer to take action, Will sowly made his way toward Sarah.

"Not looking forward to being wife number seventeen?" Will asked Sarah.

Sarah gave him a look. "Perhaps being Leer's wife might prove more useful than being married to you."

Will scowled at her and struck her across the cheek.

Not one to wait to be rescued, Sarah punched him, landing the blow on his eyebrow. He clutched his face for a moment, releasing it when blood didn't flow freely. Sarah waited for his next move, but she looked away to assure herself Jareth was alright. It was the distraction that cost her. Will manuevered behind her, pressing his knife to her throat.

"Don't move." he whispered.

She froze and cursed under her breath. Somehow she became the damsel in distress anyway.

The true Goblin King bested Leer in moments. He was disarmed and dead before he had time to digest his lunch. Jareth's eyes found Sarah, trapped behind a knife's point.

"Will, you have lost. Release her." Jareth said slowly.

"I will not. If I cannot have your kingdom, I should at least have your beloved."

Sarah's mind was reeling. She hadn't the slightest idea what Will was referring to.

"That would be very stupid." Jareth promised.

Sarah felt heaviness in her hand. It was a crystal! How had it gotten there?

She asked it to get her out of this mess and it dropped from her hand, landing with an oddly soft thump. It exploded lightly, just enough to panic Will. Sarah's neck was nicked, but otherwise she dashed away from what was her husband, unharmed. She ran to stand beside Jareth, whose relief shown obvious on his face.

"The Bog of Eternal Stench, I think. Then to the mortal world. Somewhere cold."

In the middle of a plea for mercy, Will vanished.

Satisfied, the Goblin King put the symbol of his authority back atop his blonde locks where it belonged. He then turned to Sarah.

"I believe thanks are in order."

She smiled. "I didn't do anything. It was you who had to rescue me. Several times."  
Jareth smirked. "You may be unaware of this, but your mortal-,"

"Ex-mortal." She corrected.

"Yes, alright. He made another prophecy." He magicked another crystal. Sarah watched as Will whispered a prophecy. The first stanza was the prophecy that made the Goblin King come for her in the first place. The second stated her help in the retrieval of the kingdom for Jareth, the true King. The crystal faded to black before she saw the last stanza.

"So I was supposed to help you this time around also?" Sarah asked him.

"Yes. It was always going to be you." He paused. "Now, it is time to see you home. Shall we?"

Sarah was not ready to leave her Goblin King, but she nodded.

"Make your wish."

"I wish.." she stopped. "Your Majesty?"

"I may have earned my title once more, but you may still refer to me as Jareth." He said, confidently.

"Jareth, then. You made me an offer once before."

The King raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I recall."

"Why?"

He didn't speak, just gazed at her.

"Why did you ask me to stay with you eight years ago?"

For the first time in his many, many years, the Goblin King was flustered. It took him several moments to recover. "Make your wish and go home, Sarah."

"No. I won't." She said, stubbornly. Pressing the issue was dangerous with Jareth's temper, but she no longer cared.

Jareth's jaw clenched, anger once again present in his eyes.

Her features softened. _It was always going to be you._ "I wish you would tell me what it is you meant."

Jareth winced at the request, but it was a wish and it had to be granted. "I merely meant..." He let the sentence die and took Sarah by the hand. Sarah, who had defeated his Labyrinth and returned to save his kingdom, glowed more brightly than the best lantern. He pressed his mouth to hers in a deep kiss. Words had failed him, but his action would not.

He felt her knees buckle. The two of them dropped to the floor together. He released her.

Rather than wait for another rejection, Jareth fled the room, snapped his fingers. The palace around Sarah vanished. She was returned to her home, and the emptiness that had finally begun to disappear, made its way back, into her very core.

**~XxXxX~**

**I know this seems very short, but I promise you, this little tidbit is only the beginning. Things may have seemed to settle down, but Sarah and Jareth are in for much more. **


	5. The Castle Beyond the Goblin City

Sarah growled in frustration. "Damn you, Jareth!" She screamed at no one. She had a moment of epiphany when she realized what had transpired between she and Jareth. Automatically, her fingertips brushed her lips where his had just been. But at that moment, she hated him. He had kissed her and then proceeded to send her back to the human world. She refused to call him back. As much as she wanted to- wanted _him_- she would not. She crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly.

"For my will is as strong as yours and my Kingdom as great."

**~XxXxX~**

Jareth lounged casually on his throne, having been returned to his rightful place. He thought of Sarah. Of Sarah, and how, despite their efforts to return him the crown, the Labyrinth was still in disarray.

The walls of the Labyrinth had crumbled completely. The forest was dead, the hedge maze was now rotted away, and Oubliettes had collapsed in on themselves. Even Jareth's palace was nearly in ruins. Very few rooms remained intact. Jareth's study, the kitchens, his own bedchambers, the library and the throne room were all that was left. The Goblins, Dwarfs, Fireys, and other beasts were all in tents or hiding in the deserts at the entrance to the Labyrinth. Their homes were destroyed by whatever curse plagued the Goblin King's world.

Once more Jareth conjured a crystal and listened to the Prophecy that intwertwined he and Sarah's fates. Three stanzas of badly written lines, obviously displaying Happin's lack of vocabulary, echoed in the crystal.

"_A champion who needs a fairy tale_

_ Will beat the Labyrinth without fail_

_ Now a woman, the Savior has grown_

_ so as to return the King to his throne_

_ His precious one he must restore_

_ Or lose his kingdom evermore._"

The last couplet piqued the Goblin King's curiosity. Although, he was amused by Sarah's description. She started the Prophecy as a Champion. She then became the Savior. The prophecy ended her involvement in his realm as _his _precious one. He needed to bring her back to the Goblin City, that he knew, but for what purpose?

**~XxXxX~**

Months later, Sarah went out to lunch with her family. She had adjusted well to her new life. She joined eight year old Toby and her stepmother and father, Helen and Bob. Seeing her father with Helen still made her miss her mother, whom she hadn't seen or heard from since she was twelve. Three years later, her father had married Helen and they had Toby.

Helen had never been particularly kind to Sarah, prefering to make her feel as though there were expectations her stepdaughter would never be able to live up to. It was almost as though she could sense the events that had taken place when Toby was but a baby.

Once they had placed their orders and received their drinks, the waiter took their menus. Helen did not waste any time getting to her point.

"Sarah, what us going on? One minute, you are married to Will, happy and in love, and the next you have filed for divorce and even then we have to read about it in the newspaper!"

"I'm sorry, I really am. I should have called or something." Sarah sighed.

"Yes, you should have. I was so looking forward to having grandchildren." She pouted.

"Now dear, Sarah is an adult now. She doesn't have to run her whole life by us." Bob scolded his wife.

"Oh, hush, Bob. I have every right to ask when to expect to be a grandmother."

"Mom, be nice to Sarah. I didn't like Will anyway." Toby smiled widely. He was coloring on the restaurant's kid's menu.

Helen glared at her son, but he wasn't paying any attention. "Toby, don't talk back to your elders."

The waiter brought their food to the table, placing a plate in each of them, refilling their glasses and leaving them be.

Helen waved a hand and took a drink.

Sarah's eyes had wandered to her food, she hadn't heard anymore after that. She just nodded and picked up her fork.

**~XxXxX~**

That night, she dressed for bed, a nightgown that barely qualified as such. Thanks to her seperation from Will, among other things, her self-confidence had increased exponentially. She pulled the blankets down and climbed into bed. She glanced at the empty bed beside her and a pang of lonliness pierced her chest. In spite of herself, she whispered to the darkness, "I wish I didn't have to be alone." She had barely laid down her head when she was asleep...

She was dreaming, she had to be. She was still in bed, but Jareth was there. He was in her bed, laying beside her. He kissed her passionately. She felt him move atop her. The kiss deepened and she nearly lost it just then. Heat spread throughout her body, She felt him inside her and didn't protest. She climaxed and everything else faded away...

When she woke the next morning, she wasn't surprised to find that there was no Jareth beside her. She was however surprised to find that she was not at home. She was in a large canopied bed. Adorned in purple silk, the bedding matched the room itself. It was a suite, a bathroom could be seen off to her right, and the door, an ornate one decorated in silver, was to her left.

"Where am I?" She asked aloud.

No one answered. She remembered her dream the night before. Had it been a dream?

"Jareth!" She called, knowing he could hear her.

He appeared at the foot of the bed. "Hello, Sarah."

"What happened? Why did you bring me here?"

He smiled. "You made a wish, precious one."

She thought for a moment. But came up with nothing. "What wish?"

He took three steps to her bed and seated himself at her feet. He placed a crystal in her hand.

She saw herself, in her own bed, the night before. She heard herself whisper, _'I wish I didn't have to be alone.'_

She didn't speak. Part of her was glad to be back. To be part of something again. The other part was tired of him, the Goblin King, moving her back and forth between worlds of his own will.

"Why am I here?" she asked.

He rolled his eyes. "I do so hate repeating myself."

She sighed and climbed out of the fancy bed, forgetting the state of her nightgown.

"I am enjoying your choice in attire, however."

She saw him gazing hungrily at all the skin her nightgown didn't cover. Her legs were almost fully exposed, the spaghetti straps only covered the smallest fragment of her shoulders, and the front of the gown scooped low by her breasts. Including all those things, the thin blue fabric was practically transparent. She instinctively covered her chest with her arms.

In seconds he was standing before her.

"I think perhaps you should dress and we shall go to breakfast."

Wanting an excuse to get him out of the room, Sarah nodded. She blinked and he vanished.

She went to the wardrobe and found a simple gown of midnight blue. She dressed and smiled at her image in the mirror. She left the room in search of the kitchen.

She had walked for what seemed like forever when she finally found a door at the end of a long hallway. She turned the handle and entered the room.

Rows beyond rows of books lay before her. She nearly fainted. It was a proverbial forest of infinite knowledge. An older man was crouching beside a low shelf, placing a book on it.

She coughed. "Excuse me? I think I may be lost. I'm looking for the kitchen."

The old man turned and stood up straight. When he saw her, he grinned, his crooked teeth in need of a brush. "I knew His Majesty could not hold off much longer." He said.

"Hold off from what, sir?"

The old man chuckled, it quickly turned into a wheeze. "From retrieving you. I don't think he should have sent you home in the first place, but he is the King and I am only the librarian."

"Is this the rumor mill?" She asked with a small smile.

His grin widened and he pointed at her. "I can see why he gave in so easily."

She stared at him. "Why?"

"You're very clever, Sarah. What makes you think it wouldn't be a challenge to the Goblin King to win you over?" The Old man asked.

Sarah glowered at the man. She opened her mouth to argue when she had a more pressing question. "Wait, you're human, aren't you?"

The old man smiled and nodded. "Yes, I have been with His Majesty for some great many years now. Since I was a baby."

"How?"

"His Majesty took me when I was wished away. My family did not even attempt to run the Labyrinth. I was just an undue burden. My fifteen year old mother wished me away. When the Goblin King showed up, she was only so happy to hand me away. I stayed in the kitchens until I was old enough to make a decision: be dropped on the nearest surface doorstep or stay in the Goblin City. I asked the King to stay and run the library." The old man finished his story, sentimentality clearly visible on his face. He obviously admired the Goblin King and felt indebted to him.

Sarah felt tears pool in her eyes and quickly wiped them away. She had never considered someone may wish away their young children intentionally. Sarah imagined what she would have done, a young unmarried mother alone with her newborn. She would never have wished away her child, even if she hadn't known the truth about the Goblin King.

"I'm Sarah." She said, stepping toward him and holding out her hand.

He hesitated but took it and replied, "Maverick."

There was a moment of silence between the two of them.

"So what kind of books would a Goblin library have?" Sarah asked.

Maverick chuckled. "We can get any book ever published. The library was magicked to accomodate anyone's reading pleasure."

"Anyone's?"

"Anyone who enters the the room. You need only ask." He gestured toward the rows of books.

Sarah was interested in the power of the library, but her stomach growled painfully. "You'll have to excuse me, Maverick. I still haven't eaten and it may take me days to find the kitchen."  
The older man laughed quietly. "You were headed the right way, just keep going down this hallway and take a left at the dead end."

Sarah smiled and thanked him. As she headed for the door, she could hear Maverick whispering to himself about the King.


	6. No One Can Blame You For Walking Away

Jareth was enraged. He had brought her back when she wished it, when she wished not to be alone, and yet still his generosity did not please her. He paced his throne room, hands clasped behind his back. He was overwhelmed by emotions he did not particularly want to sift through. He simply paced for what seemed like ages until a Goblin kitchen maid poked her head into the room.

"Your Majesty, Sarah has found her way to the kitchens and breakfast is ready." The goblin whispered quietly.

Jareth waved a hand dismissively. The goblin quickly withdrew. She could sense the foulness of his mood. In the blink of an eye, he was standing in the dining hall beside Sarah. She was adorned in a midnight blue gown, causing the green of her eyes to stand out immensely. Jareth resisted the urge to touch her and sat across from her place at the table.

She looked up and jumped slightly. "I didn't hear you come in." She whispered.

"You would not since I did not use a door." He said crisply, refusing to give Sarah the satisfaction of seeing him frazzled.

They ate in silence, the only sound came from the clinking and scraping of utensils on plates. Occasionally, one of them would reach for their glass and take a sip. When Jareth finished his meal, he left without a single word. Sarah set down her fork and left the dining hall, heading back to the library.

She had to talk to Maverick about the rules of this world.

**~XxXxX~**

"Maverick, I need a history lesson." Sarah announced as she opened the door to the library.

The old man climbed down from the ladder. "A history lesson? For what?"

"I need to know all I can about this world."

He gestured to the table. "Please, sit."

Sarah obeyed.

"First of all, this is not a world. We are not on a seperate planet as the humans, but nor are we on the same plane. Only the magick, either those taught or born with, can move back and forth between the two."

Sarah raised her hand, feeling like an kindergartener again.

"Yes, Miss Sarah?"

"You can _teach_ magic?"

"Of course, just as you can teach any other skill. There are those who are more naturally talented than others but even the simplest of people can learn a Ward or two. Now, may we continue?"

She nodded.

"Now, long ago, before all of the hullabaloo that is the human world-"

"Not everything in the human world is hullabaloo."

Maverick smiled patiently. "Yes, agreed. Now, back to history. The human world and the Labyrinth were once one and the same. The Labyrinth took the world's unwanted and gave them a home. Magic was quite powerful back then and nearly everyone used it, humans included. But when the Labyrinth's unwanted souls began to grow and prosper in the Goblin City, humanity grew jealous. They used the combined power of all their natural magic to push the Goblin City into another plane of existence. One that was seperate but still accessible by the unwanted of the human world."

"What happened to those who were in the Labyrinth while it was moved?"

Maverick winced. "From what I have read, which is quite a lot to be truthful, not every soul reacted the same way to the change in scenery, so to speak. Some were driven mad and others had hardly any reaction at all."

"Where was Jareth in all this?"

Maverick sighed. "Jareth was just a boy when all this happened. His parents were both a very important part of the Labyrinth."

"Why is that?"

"His parents created the Labyrinth."

"Created it? Why?"

"His mother was a kindhearted woman, compassionate and clever, but his father was cold and thoughtless. He created the Oubliettes to forget about his enemies and Jareth's mother saw the abandoned and formed the City and the surrounding Labyrinth to shelter them. Jareth was born out of wedlock, something they both saw as an insult. And though they were not in love, they married anyway."

"Was this before or after they were banished from the Mortal world?" Sarah asked.

"Not long before. Jareth aged like a normal kid until the Labyrinth was given its own world. Most of the creatures of this world started their lives as humans. The Goblins were the most childlike of the souls. The dwarfs were the wisest or more matured. The fireys were what became of those who lost their minds. The rock callers were the simple creatures. There are other creatures who live outside the Labyrinth, but they are from other worlds, not the human world. Jareth and his parents, among others, were different from most. They were born for this life, and as such, they remained very human-like, but their magic, it warped them. They became immortal, as none of the other creatures are. They don't remember being human. Most of them at least."

"What happened to his parents? If they are immortal, shouldn't they be here with him?"

"Jareth's father destroyed his mother. You see, not long after the world's moved, Gaea, Jareth's mother began to set free all of the creatures that Jareth's father, Chaos, had banished to the Oubliettes."

Sarah took in all that he had told her. It was making her head spin. "Chaos and Gaea? As in Greek mythology?"

Maverick laughed. "They may be myths in your history, but I assure you, they were very real. Their natural magic was so powerful, some mortals worshipped them as gods."

"What happened to them?" Sarah asked.

"Chaos caught Gaea. He punished her by tearing apart her soul, the only thing that kept her connected to her humanity and to her son, and placing it within the Labyrinth."

"So Jareth's mother- Gaea _is_ the Labryinth?"

"In a manner of speaking. Once her soul left her body, Chaos took it to an unknown location and destroyed it. As it was a husk, an empty vessel, it felt no pain. Years later, Chaos took Jareth into the Labyrinth, hoping to force him to grow up faster. It worked. Jareth was forced to watch as the Labyrinth, Gaea's soul, destroyed his father and placed his soul in the Bog. The hate in his soul burdened the Bog. What was once only a swamp, became a foul smelling cornicopia of Chaos's cruelty."

Sarah remembered the smell of the Bog of Eternal Stench. "He must have had a lot of hate." She said, wrinkling her nose at the memory.

Maverick nodded. "Jareth was left to run the Goblin City by himself. At the time, he was only forty years old."

"Forty years old and he looked like that? The Labyrinth must be great for your skin." Sarah muttered.

"Sarah, once you become part of this world, the Labyrinth bestows immortality on you."

She didn't want to think about that. "Maverick, can you do magic?"

"I have tried a great many times, but I just don't seem to have a knack for it. Unlike His Majesty, I don't possess the necessary talent."

"Do you think _I_ could learn to do magic?"

Maverick opened his mouth to speak, but did not get a chance. Jareth's voice rang out from the doorway.

"Maverick is not the one to be asked for magic lessons, precious one."

Maverick stumbled from his seat and began putting books away. "My apologies, your Majesty. Miss Sarah asked for the history of our world and I didn't think-"

"You were only too happy to oblige, correct?"

Maverick simply nodded.

Sarah watched as the poor man practically pleaded silently with Jareth not to punish him. But Sarah saw no cruelty in Jareth's eyes. He was amused by this turn of events. "Do not fear, Maverick. I do not see the harm in Sarah receiving an education while she is here."

Maverick was visibly relieved.

"However, it is nearly lunchtime and I do not think it wise to skip meals. Sarah, would you join me in the throne room for lunch?"

Sarah nodded.

"Then I will see you in a moment." He vanished.

Maverick had seated himself at the table once more. He gave Sarah a look of vague cynicism. "Precious one?"

**~XxXxX~**

Jareth appeared in the throne room, the table he had asked for apparent in the middle of the large area. Atop the table was a plethora of mortal food. Sarah should not eat the food of this world until she was comfortable with the idea. Jareth wondered momentarily if she had learned of his parents. Knowing Maverick he had probably told Sarah the _entire_ history of the Goblin City. It would take Sarah at least a few minutes to figure out where she was going, so Jareth collapsed onto his throne and rested his head against his right hand. _Why had he brought her back?_ Because she asked. Not specifically, but she had wished. _Then why bring her here? Why not give her a child from the Labyrinth or bring her parents to her?_ Because he wanted her here. The prophecy demanded her presence. No, not only her presence, it demanded Jareth himself bring her back. He remembered his lips on hers all those months ago. He could tell by her body language that she had far from forgotten. Neither of them spoke about it, which seemed odd to him. She knew now what he had offered her nine years ago and yet she was still playing coy with him..

The door opened and Sarah stepped in.

She saw the table laid out before them and smiled. There were candles and flowers in the center. Her expression in reaction to this elaborate gesture was inscrutable. She sat down in the chair closest to her, scooping her skirt up and draping it gently around her as she took her seat. The movement was fluid, as though she had done it one hundred times before. They each began to pick at their food. Jareth did not wish for this meal to be as silent as the last, so he spoke.

"You are learning well, I presume?"

Sarah nodded. "I have learned quite a bit in only a handful of hours."

Silence stretched out between them like a physical entity. Jareth decided that he no longer cared if there was a possibility of rejection. He wanted Sarah.

"Sarah, we must talk about our...recent development."

She looked down at her plate. "What are you talking about?"

He put down his fork and pushed back his chair. Within miliseconds, he was standing beside her. She stood instinctively. "Precious one, I do not believe, even for a moment, that you do not discern what it is I am speaking of."

"Your Majesty-,"

"Once more, I ask that you call me by name, not my title."

"Jareth, I don't think this is a good idea."

He gave her a pointed look. "You want to believe that."

"I know it's not. I am not for you, Jareth. I am not for anyone."

With that, she left the throne room, not pausing to look back.

**~XxXxX~**

Teeth chattering, William cowered in the corner of the ship that had rescued him. He remembered his humiliation. And that his terrible smell was the result of being dipped in the Bog of Eternal Stench. He hadn't spoken to real people in days, he smelled so awful that none of the crew would go near him. He was kept away from them all, treated like a rabid animal. He didn't think about anything but his experience in the Bog. He was there for nearly a day. The only reason he did not lose his mind was because of the Voice. The deep, masculine voice that came from the Bog itself. The Voice promised him power, power beyond his wildest dreams and enough to destroy the Goblin King. All he had to do is accept the Voice from the Bog into his mind. Give the Voice its own place to reside in his body. William accepted immediately. He felt the invasion of the Voice in his mind, but after only a few moments of pain, the Voice was a comfort to him.

_The Goblin King will never see us coming, William._

"Never.." William whispered.

_You have the power now. More than that pathetic creature could ever imagine._

"Ever imagine.." William looked up. "What about Sarah?"

_Do with the mortal what you wish._

"I will destroy her mind and body in front of Jareth, and then take her for myself." William smiled. He didn't particularly want to keep Sarah, but to exact revenge was to give up a few freedoms.

_Yes, yes, if that is what you want._ The Voice responded impatiently.

William's smile widened, then fell. "How do we get back to the Castle Beyond the Goblin City?" He asked.

_You have unlimited power now, William. I will teach you to open a Doorway once we get somewhere private. And warm._

"Warm.." William agreed. His eyes then grew heavy. William and his Voice then slept dreamlessly.

**~XxXxX~**

**Well, there is Chapter Six. Hopefully you enjoyed it. I realize how annoying Author's notes are in the middle of a story, so I probably won't be doing it anymore after this. I must mention that due to an unforeseen idea, I may be upping the rating to M. I don't want to make it smut, but at the same time, Jareth and Sarah are both adults and I don't want to avoid a topic that is so commonplace. We'll see as I go along I suppose. R&R please!**


	7. Don't Tell Me the Truth Hurts

When William finally woke, the ship was docked. Though it was not nearly as cold as it had been on the vey tip of this miserable planet, it was still definitely not warm. He wrapped the coat the captain had given him tighter around his body. The Voice was still sleeping, so William wandered off the ship and into the shore town. He needed a place to sleep and warm clothes.

Within moments, he had procured a wallet with cash inside and a room for the next week. The Voice had started to stir once the cold that had reached his bones had finally thawed in a hot shower.

_Where are we?_ The Voice demanded.

"A hotel." William said aloud.

_Are we safe?_

"Yes."

_Good. You will begin your training now. Then, we will take the Goblin City, and send my wife her son._

**~XxXxX~**

Sarah gasped awake from a nightmare in a cold sweat. She sat straight up, trembling from head to toe. She couldn't remember all the details of the nightmare. Only that she lost someone and there was nothing she could do. Fear creeps its way up her spine. She didn't move, superstition keeping her frozen in the bed. When Jareth appeared at the foot of the bed, she tried not to scream.

"Sarah, what is wrong?" He asked, concerned.

"Nightmare." Sarah breathed out. Something about Jareth being in her room calmed her. He moved closer, wrapping his arms around her bare shoulders.

She had been sleeping naked, and it definitely raised questions in Jareth's mind. He pushed those thoughts aside, to be resumed at a later time.

"Shh, Sarah." He kissed her forehead.

Sarah became increasingly confused. She had never seen this side of the Goblin King. Her thoughts jumbled together.

Jareth let go of her shoulders. Before he could stop himself, he pressed his lips to hers. He kissed her with such fervor, such abandon, that Sarah found herself responding equally. The lingering fear of the nightmare disappeared. Sarah placed her arms around his neck. She gently lay back on the bed, her lips still teasing Jareth's mouth, pulling him with her. As he moved beside her, he let out a soft groan. Jareth didn't waste time removing clothes, although time was something he had plenty of.

**~XxXxX~**

Sarah was finally asleep now and as much as he would have liked to stay and watch her do so, he had work to do. The magic of someone making a wish pinged in his head like an annoying alarm bell. _I wish someone would come take you away right now!_

Someone had wished away a child.

He appeared in front of a young mother, probably only fourteen, tears staining her eyes.

There was no one else in sight.

"Who the hell are you?" The girl snapped.

"That is of no consequence."

"Did you take my baby?"

"I did not. The Goblins did."

"Bring her back!"

"I cannot. You have made a wish and I have only granted it. If you can solve the Labyrinth in thirteen hours, I will give her to you."

The young girl hesitated. "I didn't want a baby." She looked at Jareth. "Will you make sure she's taken care of?"

Jareth only nodded. Some mothers didn't do even this for their children.

"Then keep her."

Jareth vanished and reappeared in his throne room. The baby girl cooed from a blanket on the floor. He went to her and scooped her up. He held her for a moment, thoughts of holding a child he and Sarah had created filled his mind. He shook it off. Summoning one of his subjects, he flourished his hand and one of the nursemaids stood before him.

"Majesty?"

"Take this baby down to the nursery."

"Her name, your Majesty?"

He thought for a moment. "Jacynth."

"Can you call her Jacie?" A gentle voice from the other side of the room asked.

Jareth turned and saw Sarah smiling at the baby. She was dressed in a beautiful gown, only a fraction more elaborate than yesterdays. Today it was the same green as her eyes and it took monumental effort for Jareth to tear his eyes away. "Of course, precious one."

"Hello, little Jacie." Sarah cooed at the girl.

The baby smiled at her.

The same thoughts that Jareth avoided, now crept into Sarah's mind. She too pushed them to the furthest recesses. Jareth stared at her interaction with the baby. She handed the baby to the goblin maid and waved goodbye to her.

"Are the nurses good to them?"

Jareth nodded. "Infinitely better than their own parents usually." He promised.

"I woke up and you were gone." Sarah said quietly.

"As you see, I had business to attend to." He pointed toward the baby. "You had better go back to the library, Maverick will be waiting to continue with the history of the Goblin City."

She turned toward the door, but looked back at Jareth. "Then after lunch I want you to teach me some magic."

"As you wish."

She left for the library.

**~XxXxX~**

Maverick was indeed waiting for her when she arrived.

"Good morning, Miss Sarah. I see you are ready for more history."

Sarah sat down across from him. "Of course."

"Good. Now-"

"Wait, Maverick. What happens to the babies Jareth takes from the human world?"

"I knew that question would pop up eventually." He paused. "He can only take babies, of course, since an adult is less inclined to believe in this place."

"Well, what happens to all the children?"

"They are given a choice: at a certain age they can choose to either live out the rest of their lives in the Goblin City, or they can be placed into a home in the human world."

"And if they choose the human world?"

"Then a goblin guides the child to a carefully chosen family."

"Who chooses these families?"

"The Goblin King does, of course. He doesn't just use those crystals to spy on young girls, you know." He said, smiling.

She hadn't realized how much work was required from him.

"Can we start on history now?"

She nodded.

"Where did we leave off yesterday?" Maverick asked.

"We were talking about Jareth's parents. Gaea's soul was put in the Labyrinth and Chaos became the Bog of Eternal Stench."

"Right. After that His Majesty began to run things and the Goblins became his loyal subjects. Most of the humans who stayed in the Goblin City also chose to serve as well. The dwarves considered themselves too wise to be ruled by a King, but they are under his rule even if they don't wish so."

"What exactly is under Jareth's rule?"

"The Goblin King presides over the Labyrinth, the Goblin City, the Crystal Forest, and the Cold Desert, and the Forgotten Ocean."

"What is the Crystal Forest?"

Maverick took out a map and unrolled it onto the table. It showed the entire Kingdom. He pointed to a forested area on the left side of the map. "It's the forest where most of the immortals reside. Jareth and his parents weren't the only ones. There was about ten people that were also made immortal. They live there in peace, practicing magic and only coming to the Goblin City to ask a favor of the king."

"And the Forgotten Ocean?"  
"The Oubliettes are where you put some_one_ to forget them. But the Forgotten Ocean is where you put memories you want to forget. All of the memories that people push to the back of their minds, whether it's of being beat or raped or embarassed, they all end up there." He pointed to the blue part of the map, which was behind the castle. "There is a dwarf legend that says if you bathe in the Forgotten Ocean, your future will be revealed to you. There is another legend that says if you bathe in it, it will make you forget everything you never want to remember."

"What about the Cold Desert?"

"There you will find the one thing that the Goblin King has never managed to get on good terms with."

"What?" Sarah asked, intrigued.

"Fairies." Maverick said. He pointed to the area just before the Labyrinth. The one Sarah had standing at right before she entered the Labyrinth.

"Why would fairies want to live in the desert? And why is it Cold?"

"Fairies are only tiny during the day, at night they become human-sized trouble makers. Not to mention, they don't have a choice, His Majesty banished them after they set fire to a poor rock caller."

It was then that Sarah remembered Sir Didymus, Ludo, and Hoggle. She gasped aloud, startling Maverick. She stood, swished her skirts and went for the door. "I'm sorry. I have to go."

She had never moved so quickly in a dress. She stormed into Jareth's throne room.

"Where are they?"

"Where is whom?" Jareth asked from a door adjacent to the throne room, his study.

"My friends."

Jareth sighed. "They are quite alright, I assure you."

"Where are they?" She practially growled.

Jareth said nothing.

"Please, Jareth, tell me where they are."

"I was your friends, Sarah. They were all aspects of my own personality."

Sarah glared at Jareth. "Why are you lying? You showed them to me in your crystal. They were locked in a dungeon."

"No, Sarah. I required your trust so I showed them to you."

"But they were real."

"I believed it as well, Sarah. The Labyrinth magicked me, just as I did you."

Sarah pressed her hands to her face and shook her head vigorously. "I interacted with them. How could they not have been real if I had interacted with them?"

Jareth took her hands in his. "Sarah, please. Listen."

She stopped moving and looked up at Jareth.

"The Labyrinth created them from me. Do you truly think that I could have been so easily cruel to someone I cared deeply for if I had retained any of who I am?"

That question stopped Sarah. Sir Didymus, all honor and chivalry. Hoggle, selfish but loyal. And Ludo, blind love and kindness. The only thing left was cruelty and even if it had been a small part of him, without any other aspect of his personality present, it would have been all that was apparent. Sarah realized with a panic that he was telling the truth. She raised her head completely. "Why would the Labyrinth steal parts of you and use them to help me?"

Jareth shook his head, a fractional move that was barely noticeable. "If you will recall, I was always intended to fail, the Labyrinth merely assured your victory."

Sarah turned on her heel and left the throne room. Tears for friends that no longer existed fell down her cheeks.

**~XxXxX~**

Jareth practically heard the tears flowing from Sarah's eyes. Instead of sympathy, as he should have felt, he only felt anger. Why would the loss of such friends upset her when they still existed in him? She mourned their nonexistence . A goblin made came in and said Sarah had gone to the Forgotten Ocean. Jareth cursed aloud. He dismissed her and vanished.

She was there alright, clothes and all, standing waste deep in the Forgotten Ocean. He had gotten there too late. She was staring forward, eyes blank.

"Sarah!" He called to her.

She turned toward the sound of his voice. She came to him, stepping out of the water.

He grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. "Sarah."

She looked at him. "Who are you?"

He shook her again. "Sarah."

The blankness in her eyes vanished. "Jareth?" She looked confused. "What happened?"

"How could you endanger yourself this way?"

"I thought if I could forget about them, it wouldn't hurt as much." Sarah cried.

"You should not feel any pain. They are not deceased, after all." Jareth practically hissed.

"But I spent time with them, I cared for them. They felt real to me."

"Do you understand how fortunate it is that you left the water before you erased the entirety of your mind?"

"I saw something. There was so much pain. I thought it was going to rip me in half. Pain and screaming." Her eyes caught his. "You were there. And there was something else..."

Confusion warped Jareth's handsome face. Before he could respond or react, Sarah collapsed limp into his arms.

He transported them both to her bedroom. Laying her beneath the thick covers, he heard her sigh against his neck. He knew he could not leave her, not yet. So instead of returning to his throne, he moved in beside her and pulled her close with an arm around her waist.

She nestled closer to him without waking up.

**~XxXxX~**

The Voice had become a slave driver, but William continued to remind himself that the power was worth it all. William managed to open a Door but he couldn't sustain it. It would stay open for a second or two, then close and William would fall to the ground, exhausted. The Voice pushed him to try harder.

_If you want it, William, you must discipline yourself. _

"I _do_ want it." William vowed.

_Then try again. _

**~XxXxX~**

Sarah yawned and stretched. She nearly shouted when she saw the Goblin King lying beside her. His eyes were open, he was obviously awake.

"What are you doing in here?" She looked around. "What am I doing in here?"

He chuckled lightly. "You fainted. I brought you here from the Forgotten Ocean."

She sat up. "I was trying to forget my friends."

Jareh nodded. "However, you did not forget them."

"No, I didn't. I saw something." Her brow furrowed as she strained to remember what she saw in the water.

"When you came in from the water, you spoke of pain and screaming. And of my presence."

Her eyes widened, but she quickly corrected her expression. "I don't remember." She exaggerated a yawn. "I should like to get some sleep, Goblin King."

Jareth hesitated but received the hint.

He vanished, leaving her alone.

Sarah rubbed her forehead and moaned. A headache was seeping into her temples. Maverick had warned that the Forgotten Ocean was not the place where she forgot Ludo, Hoggle, and Sir Didymus, it was where she saw what could possibly have been her future. What she had seen was not necessarily terrible, but it was not at all what she had expected.


	8. Cuz It Hurts Like Hell

How on earth could one woman, one mortal woman, frustrate him so? Jareth knew the answer, but denial was all too tempting. She had power over him. More power than he could ever hope to have over her. Pacing his throne room, which was very out of character for the normally put-together Goblin King, Jareth mused over the possibilities in Sarah's vision at the Forgotten Ocean. Pain and the presence of the Goblin King. Would he make her a slave? Impossible. Immortals have never made slaves of any creature. Not that Jareth had not considered it before. Those pesky fairies. Would he torture her? Unlikely, although not altogether undeserved. Clever, she may be but she was not the most submissive. Jareth smiled at the thought.

**~XxXxX~**

Sarah was also pacing in the library. She knew she had feigned exhaustion, but after her experience in the Forgotten Ocean, she had become restless. Maverick sat at the table watching her.

"What exactly has you so anxious, Sarah?" he asked.

"I saw something in the Forgotten Ocean." Sarah admitted. It had taken Maverick nearly an hour to get this far.

Maverick could barely keep his mouth from dropping open. "Inconceivable."

Sarah looked at him, pausing briefly. "That sounds oddly familiar." She continued to stalk back and forth.

The older man sighed. "Sarah, you are very lucky that you only gained knowledge, and did not lose yourself entirely."

Sarah stopped pacing and stood in front of Maverick. "It was the future, like the legend. I know it was."

"Tell me what you saw, Sarah."

"I saw a room. I was lying in a bed. Jareth was standing beside me, leaning against the wall. He looked concerned and worried, as though something were wrong.."

Sarah fell to the ground, as though in pain, her back arched and hands clenched into fists. Maverick went to her side. She whimpered and he saw sweat bead above her eyebrows.

"Sarah, what is it? What's wrong?"

Her eyes were rolled back into her head. "There's something wrong, Jareth. Something wrong with the baby!" She screamed.

Maverick was nearly in a panic until her labored breathing became steady and her eyes closed gently. She opened them moments later. She sat up, moving slowly as though to test her ability to do so.

"Sarah, what happened?"

"The vision, I must have been concentrating too hard, it came back to me."

"You said something about-"

"Something about what, Maverick? I'm utterly dying to know the details." Jareth interrupted. He was indeed dying to know, but his mask was far too thick for the librarian to decipher.

"She said something about pain, your Majesty."

Jareth glowered at him. "If I find you have lied to me, Maverick, punishment will be swift and smelly."

Maverick shuddered but shook his head. "No, Majesty. That was all she said."

Jareth knew he was lying but there was no use in dunking Maverick in the Bog. He liked the man, and smelly librarians did not do good work. "I think we will forego lessons today, Maverick. Sarah is looking a tad pale, don't you agree?"

Maverick nodded.

"Good. Sarah, say your goodbyes until tomorrow, and then please go to bed."

Sarah nodded as well.

Jareth vanished before them and Maverick instantly snapped his head toward Sarah.

"You saw yourself bearing Jareth's child?"

"Yes, I was going to ask you if immortals can procreate with mortals."

Maverick frowned. "Of course they can! They are both human, after all!" He whispered harshly.

"How was I to know that? I am just starting this class, you know."

He looked at her, a fatherly expression on his face. "Tell me you haven't..._entertained_ his Majesty in your room already?"

Sarah's cheeks blushed red as mid-October.

Maverick shook his head. "Sarah, you could already be with child."

"I know, I know." She didn't think it was likely since her monthly visit was due to make an appearance.

"You should see Asclepius. He could tell you just by looking at you."

"Another Greek God?"

"Named after. No relation. He is an immortal in the Crystal Forest. He is a gifted Remedian."

"Remedian?"

"You call them doctors in the human world."

"No. I won't go until it is necessary."

Maverick shrugged. "I think you should definitely tell the Goblin King, however."

"Definitely not." She hastily left the room.

**~XxXxX~**

Jareth had heard every word. Sarah's vision in the Forgotten Ocean had been intriguing. Sarah bearing his child? He wondered if what she had seen was already in motion. Was she already pregnant? He decided to visit the Crystal Forest. When his destination lay before him, he went straight to Asclepius' hut in the front of the little village. Although Jareth preferred his own lifestyle to that of the other immortals, they had a very well established community. They lived simply. Only taking what they needed from the forest, they were entirely self sufficient. Jareth didn't bother knocking. Not only was Asclepius a Remedian, he was probably waiting on Jareth. His Sight was better than even William's.

Jareth was right. Asclepius was sitting in his front room, arms crossed loosely over his chest. He was older than Jareth but he looked barely over thirty. His face held dimples and a the smallest teeth one has ever seen. He had a broad chest and a square jaw. Jareth understood why most mortal women found him maddeningly handsome. "Your Majesty?"

"Asclepius, I require your assistance." Jareth said crisply.

The man only smiled. "Of course. As my king, I would love nothing more than to assist in any way I can."

Normally Jareth appreciated Asclepius' sense of humor, but right now Jareth had priorities. "Not now, Asclepius. I have a simple task for you."

His face straightened, seriousness clouding his eyes. "Yes, your Majesty." He stood. Unfortunately, that was when Asclepius blinked. He found his hut had disappeared, replaced by a bedroom. His lunch rolled around in his stomach.

When he saw the girl sleeping in the bed, he gasped out loud.

"Is that...?"

"That is Sarah."

"And what is it you need from me?"

"Is she with child?"

Asclepius raised an eyebrow. "You want to know if she is pregnant..with your child?"

"That is what I asked."

Asclepius only glanced at Sarah for a moment. "No. But she is dreaming of you."

Jareth blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

The remedian's eyes lingered on the woman's sleeping figure. "She is dreaming of you..and thinking of her vision..." He drifted off, a scowl marking his face and his hands clutching his temples. By the time Asclepius had composed himself, Jareth had already returned them to his hut. Jareth helped the man to the nearest piece of furniture.

"Tell me what you witnessed."

"He is coming back." Asclepius whispered without removing his hands from his face.

"Whom?"

"He wants the kingdom." Once more, his voice was barely a whisper.

Jareth cursed aloud. William was returning. He would be wanting Sarah.

**~XxXxX~**

Sarah woke feeling rested, which was unusual enough. She dressed in a pretty purple gown that made her feel dazzling, realized it was midmorning and that she had slept through the evening and night. Her stomach growled painfully, urging her to seek nourishment. She made her way to the kitchen and ate a light breakfast. One of the kitchen maids informed her that once she had finished her meal, the Goblin King waited in the throne room. He wished to speak to her. She slowly walked the long halls to Jareth. He was sitting at his desk in the study.

"You asked to see me?"

Jareth nodded slowly. "I feel I should warn you. William will be returning to the Goblin City."

Sarah's breath hitched. "When?"  
"That I do not know."

"Then how do you know he's coming?"

"I visited the Remedian today and he informed me as such."

Sarah managed to choke out the question, "What is a remedian?" but the word rolled off her tongue a litte too well. It was hardly believable.

Jareth ignored it. "You would call him a doctor."

She nodded as nonchalantly as possible. Did he know about ther vision?

He did and stated as much. "I do know what you witnessed in the Forgotten Ocean, Sarah. Did you think you could keep it from me?"

She responded without hesitation. "I had hoped."

He was standing before her in an instant. Rather than respond he brushed a kiss across her lips. Without a word, he vanished.

Sarah immediately ran to the library.

Maverick did not so much as look up from where his head lay on the table. He was fast asleep.

She gently roused him and he practically threw the books beside him on the floor.

"Gah!" He shouted.

"Sorry, Maverick. I didn't mean to startle you."

He waved his hand. "It's quite alright. Why do you look so perturbed?"

"Will is coming back. Jareth just told me. And Jareth knows about my vision."


	9. As The Pain Sweeps Through

Sarah recapped her conversation with the Goblin King to Maverick. When she had finished, she was breathless even though the interaction had been brief.

Maverick only responded with, "Well, if you are with child Asclepius would have known instantaneously and His Majesty definitely would have relayed that news first. So we know you are not."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Yes, that would indeed have been something to mention first."

"Then there is nothing to worry about."

"What about Will?"

"Alright, that is something to worry about."

Instead of going back to her room, she went wandering around. The Castle garden's were beautiful and she strolled them slowly, taking her time. There were flowers of all kinds growing around the gazebo, some she could name, others she could not.

She sat down on the bench, thinking. She thought of the Goblin King. Their brief but not altogether chaste kiss. The kiss they had shared before he sent her back to the human world. An epiphany hit Sarah then, her brain and her heart, connected by some invisible tether, felt as if they were on fire. She was in love with the Goblin King. He confused her, pissed her off, and made her crazy, but she loved him all the same. It explained her behavior up to that point utter and completely. In her moment of clarity, Jareth chose to interrupt, appearing before her.

"Sarah, are you finding everything to your liking?"

She was ripped from her thoughts and brought back to reality. "Yes, I am." She responded, slightly dazed.

He eyed her suspiciously but did not react. "Good. Will you be joining me for dinner in the throne room?"

She nodded. "Of course."

"Thank you." He vanished again.

Sarah exhaled a short breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. _If the Goblin King could read minds..._ she thought vaguely. She nervously ran her fingers through her hair. After receiving insight of that caliber, she was not quite prepared to move too quickly.

**~XxXxX~**

_You're not trying hard enough, you pathetic excuse for a Host!_

William groaned inwardly. It didn't bode well to talk back to an immortal. Chaos especially. "I will try harder, Master."

_Damn you! I cannot wait much longer! I am losing power as we speak. It is only by sheer willpower that I have clung to my _own _magic!_

William felt the repressed anger well up against his defenses again. Chaos was too preoccupied with his own rage to feel the presense of his Host's anger. William reacted in his hate and a Door opened five feet from where he stood. The Door was healthy enough to linger for a good five minutes.

If Chaos could have smiled, he would have. William was beaming, pride shone in his eyes like a flame.

_Use your anger. The Goblin King banished you and made you look the fool. Make him pay. _

At last, the two were on the same wavelength again. Which only meant trouble for the Goblin King and his Sarah.

**~XxXxX~**

They ate dinner in relative silence. The clinking and scraping of silverware on plates made their own conversations.

About halfway through the meal, Jareth lost his patience. "Sarah, why did you hide the truth of your vision?"

Sarah looked down at her plate. "It doesn't matter."

"It matters a great deal. Inform me as to your plans."

"I thought if you knew about what I had seen, you would send me back to the human world." She whispered, a barely audible sound one might mistake for not speaking at all.  
But of course, he had heard. At first, Jareth showed no reaction. After a second of silence, he laughed aloud. "Returning you would not have prevented it. The Forgotten Ocean has yet to be incorrect."

Anger in the form of tears welled up in her eyes. "I am extremely tired of your superciliousness. I am not a child. And yes, I may be newer to this place than you are, but not every stupid thing I do is cause for a comedic scolding."

The smug smile the Goblin King carried so well immediately fell from his face.

Sarah took a deep breath and continued to rant. "If this is how you treat the women you attempt to court then you _should _send me home now, because I don't appreciate it."

Jareth had seen this side of Sarah before, the spit-fire of a woman who would not be talked down to. She was ravishing, her face flushed with anger and a wild, untamed look in her eyes. She wiped the tears away and gestured toward him. "Fantastic. I was sixteen the last time you made me cry and there you go, doing it again." Without another word, she left the room.

When her footsteps could be heard fading into the distance, Jareth did something he had never done before. He let himself feel. Sarah easily ripped emotion from him, tearing down his calm exterior in moments. This time he allowed himself to feel. He didn't normally need assistance in defining a person's actions. He read them like a badly written short story. Sarah's motivation were less clear to him. Once he freed them, the emotions analyzed Sarah's response as only a man in love would do. She had reacted terribly to being treated as inferior. Was there something about Sarah's inferiority complex that he-

Jareth's eyes widened. Seconds more and he would have forgotten the stray thought entirely. Her actions were difficult to dictate not just _because_ she wanted to be treated as his equal, but _why_ she had wanted to be treated as such. A train of thought that was so difficult to follow that it nearly made him dizzy. Sarah had finally come to the conclusion that she was in love with the Goblin King.

**~XxXxX~**

Angry as Sarah was after her encounter, that anger dissipated quickly when she looked around her a few minutes later. Somehow she had made it back to the gardens. The bench was in front of her and she collapsed onto it. She glanced down at her palms, crescent shaped wounds shown in the moonlight. She hadn't even noticed clapsing her hands, but now they bled. She rubbed them on her dress automatically and cursed when the stains gleamed.

"How can one man be so absolutely infuriating?" She muttered to herself.

"It's a terrible habit, honestly. One that I hoped to soon remedy." A voice to her left replied quietly. She recognized the voice and gasped.

"You!" She cried.

William stood a fair distance away on the grass. His hands were calmly clasped in front of him and he looked as though he had conquered the world. "Yes, it is me. And with a little help, we may be able to eradicate this problem of yours."

She moved to her feet relatively quickly but within seconds, he was grasping her arm tightly. "I won't help you."

A smugness appeared on her husband's face. "You presume too much, Sarah. I never said I would be needing your help." He was quiet a moment, perhaps having a conversation with someone Sarah could neither see nor hear. "I know. I was _not_ monologuing." A pause. "It may have seemed like it, but I wasn't."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

William glared at her, his face too close. "Shut up. I wasn't talking to you."

"Then who were you talking to?"

"Chaos. Not that it makes any nevermind to you." Another pause. "She doesn't have any idea who Chaos is. Besides, she isn't going to be able to do anything about it if she did."

He dragged Sarah toward the garden tower, although it could hardly be called that. It was more like an extravagant shed. Once inside She was bound and gagged.

"Now that you are more compliable, this will be much easier."

He planted his feet and closed his eyes. To the untrained eye it may have looked rather ridiculous, like nothing was happening, but magic is sneaky that way. Sarah felt all of her strength being drained from her, starting in her limbs. When William opened his eyes, Sarah hardly had the strength to hold her head up.

"What...did you...do...to me?" She barely managed to push the words from her lips.

"I can't have you aiding the Goblin King again, _sweetheart_." He spat the last word as though it had a terrible taste. Chaos must have spoke to him once more, because he grew quiet and then replied. "Of course. Yes, Master."

He locked a hand around Sarah's bonds and half-carried, half-dragged her away from the castle. He spread his other arm wide and closed his eyes once more. A Door appeared. On the other side was the Labyrinth. They stepped through.


End file.
